New rider (and forum member) here. Just passed my MSF course a few weeks ago and bought a used 2002 GS500. Only 6500 miles on it. It's got somes dings and scratches in it from being dropped by previous owners, but the engine still runs perfectly fine.
The bike was overdue for an oil change so I thought I'd give it a try myself. I figured I'd change the oil filter at the same time too. I got everything back together again and ran the engine for a while, then noticed a small leak coming from the oil filter cap. The bike only seems to leak after the bike has been running for a while, presumably because the oil is more viscous then.
After searching through the forums, I've got a couple of ideas of what the problem might be:
1) I cleaned the filter cap pretty well but forgot to clean the area where the cap sits against. Perhaps some grit got in and is breaking the seal?
2) The filter cap O-ring may need to be replaced. (it appeared to be fine when I looked at it, but who knows? the O-ring is pretty cheap to replace anyway)
Anyone have any other ideas of what I might try? I even used some lithium grease on the O-ring before slapping the filter cap back on. And I made sure not to overtighten the nuts to avoid stripping/shearing the bolts. ;) (knock on wood)
welcome :thumb:
may be the o-ring got pinched on the botom ... did you use a new o-ring????
Welcome! +1 for the oring. I always roll the dice on those. That most likely your prob. Don't over tighten the bolts either.
No, I didn't replace the O-ring when I replaced the filter. To my cursory visual inspection, the existing one appeared to be fine so I decided to keep using it, but it's entirely conceivable that some minor imperfection on it could be causing the leak.
I'm pretty sure the O-ring isn't pinched. From what I've read on these boards, a pinched O-ring results in a "waterfall" of oil, which is not what I'm seeing. There's no leak if the bike has been sitting unused for a day or two. It only leaks a little bit after having been running for a while.
#1 DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN the nuts... Don't do it... :nono: No! :nono:
With that said...
It's either the rubber ring has rolled out of place or it's just bad... Assuming the nuts are just passed hand-tight, and not lose. (remember... Don't over tighten).
So... My suggestion, like everyone else, is to get a new rubber gasket for it and replace it. You can pop that cover off without losing much oil (some will come out, but not the whole load)...
Just put an oil bucket under the plate opening, pop the plate off, check the rubber gasket placement, replace if needed, clean up the extra oil drips, put it all back, check oil level, start it up, check for leaks...
:thumb:
I'll bet if you point the bike a bit uphill before removing the cover, you'd lose almost nothing.
You can also put it on the center-stand and throw some weight on the back...
You still lose a little though. :dunno_white: